Maybe size does matter...

The first leg of our journey home today was on a 737-500 from Dnepropetrovsk to Kyiv. The second part from Kyiv to Gatwick was on a 737-800 which is a much bigger plane.SWMBO suffered badly from blocked and painful ears on the first flight but was fine on the second. I never seem to suffer that way. But don't airlines hand out boiled sweets any more?They used to a few years ago.Glad to be back. I was quite ill while out there and spent almost two weeks laid up in bed with various ailments - not very pleasant. Keeping in touch with the folks here helped a lot, though. Overall, had a good time and now have thousands of photos and hours of video to go through.

Forum Moderator and CustomerCourage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear - Mark TwainHe who feared he would not succeed sat still

Re: Maybe size does matter...

The 737-500 has a lower rated cabin pressure differential than the 737-800 and it probably means that the one on the internal flight was running at a lower differential (hence a lower cabin pressure) and possibly - knowing Russian internal flights - the rate of change of pressure was higher due to the plane climbing and descending faster

Re: Maybe size does matter...

I understood you, Oldjim and thanks, everyone I think Ukraine has a much better safety record than Russia.My first ventures to Ukraine the domestic flights were often in an ATR 72 which, to me, frequently looked like they'd reached they're best buy dates! Very noisy and very bumpy ride.Also they used to use the Embraer E-190 which seemed particularly cramped to me being well over 6ft.

Forum Moderator and CustomerCourage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear - Mark TwainHe who feared he would not succeed sat still